For 62 years Bob Linn Sporting Goods has been a part of the fabric of Ironton’s and Lawrence County’s sports and business culture.

Sadly, it looks as if that will soon be ending.

Although the owners haven’t formally confirmed this, the signs in the store’s windows tell the story. “All sales final.” “No checks.” “Liquidation sale.”

Plus, employees have been telling customers that the store’s long run is coming to an end.

When the store closes its doors for the final time, it will certainly be a sad day for Ironton.

There are likely a variety of factors that have driven this decision. But this should also serve as somewhat of a wake up call for citizens.

No business is immune to the effects of the economy and we must support our local merchants.

Even businesses like Bob Linn that have strong community ties and have served shoppers for more than six decades have to draw customers.

We all must ask ourselves: Do we shop locally as often as we could?

In most cases, the answer is no.

Ironton and Lawrence County have a number of historic businesses that generations have grown up on. Remembering these and other local business es is important if we want to protect them for generations to come.